other than the blip that he got after the navy seals operation against osama bin laden, that is the highest in three and a half years. the republican brand as a party remains an albatross around people's necks and the republicans have seen throughout this debate as people who are apparently willing to raise taxes on 98% of americans in order to shelter the 2% for paying any more. and i just think that argument and the dynamics politically against them there is a sense of inevitability that the rates are going to go. i agree with david on the necessary door-- necessity of a delicate touchlt i don't think john boehner has control over his caucus right now. i'm not sure he can sell a tax increase, even if it does involve entitlement taming of the spending of future spending on entitlements. i think he's in a tough bind. i think they have the goodwill but i'm not sure the votes. >> woodruff: you're saying the president in your mind clearly has the upper hand. >> the upper advantage and upper hand. and the question is, i mean is he going to be sensitive to boehner, that bayne kerr come out of it